# Bolnisi

> city in Georgia

**Wikidata**: [Q653420](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q653420)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolnisi)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bolnisi

## Summary
Bolnisi is a city in southern Georgia, serving as the capital of the Bolnisi Municipality. With an area of 4.63 square kilometres, it has a recorded history of settlement dating back to its inception in 1818 and a population of 8,406 as of 2023.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** City (instance of: city, with start time 1967-12-31)
- **Location:** Coordinates 41.449444444444445°N, 44.54194444444445°E; located in Bolnisi Municipality, Georgia
- **Area:** 4.63 square kilometres
- **Population (latest):** 8,406 (2023 estimate)
- **Inception:** Founded in 1818
- **Timezone:** UTC+04:00 (Georgia Time)
- **Postal Code:** 1100
- **Official Language:** Georgian
- **Administrative Role:** Capital of Bolnisi Municipality
- **Historical Names:** Known historically as Чорук Кемерли (until 1818), Катариненфельд (1818-1921), and Люксембург (1921-1944)
- **Aliases:** Katharinenfeld, Bolnisi, Чёрюк-Гемерли
- **Native Name:** ბოლნისი (Bolnisi)
- **UN/LOCODE:** GEBNS
- **Local Dialing Code:** 358
- **Website:** https://bolnisi.gov.ge/
- **Twin Town:** Goygol (twinned since 2022)

## FAQs
**Where is Bolnisi located and what is its administrative status?**
Bolnisi is situated in the southern part of Georgia at coordinates 41.449°N, 44.542°E. It serves as the administrative capital of the Bolnisi Municipality, which is its surrounding local government area.

**What is the history of Bolnisi's name?**
The settlement has had several official names throughout its history. It was called Чорук Кемерли until its founding in 1818, then Катариненфельд (Katharinenfeld) from 1818 to 1921, followed by Люксембург (Luxembourg) from 1921 to 1944, before reverting to its Georgian name, Bolnisi.

**How has Bolnisi's population changed over time?**
Bolnisi's population has fluctuated significantly since the early 20th century. It grew from an estimated 4,591 in 1922 to a peak of 16,300 in 1968, then declined to 8,967 by the 2014 census. Recent estimates show a gradual decrease to 8,406 in 2023.

**What are the key geographic and civic details for Bolnisi?**
The city covers a small area of 4.63 km², uses the Georgian language officially, and operates in the UTC+04:00 timezone. Its postal code is 1100, and the local dialing code is 358. The municipal government's official website is bolnisi.gov.ge.

## Why It Matters
Bolnisi represents a microcosm of the South Caucasus region's complex historical and demographic shifts. Its sequence of official names—from a local Georgian designation to German (Katharinenfeld), then Luxembourgish (Luxembourg), and back to Georgian—mirrors the area's changing imperial and national influences, including Russian Empire settlement policies and Soviet-era administrative changes. As a municipal capital, it is a focal point for local governance, services, and community identity in the Kvemo Kartli region. The detailed, multi-decade population records provide a clear dataset for studying urban demographic trends in post-Soviet Georgia, including rural-to-urban migration patterns and economic transitions. Its twinning with Goygol, Azerbaijan, also positions it within contemporary regional cooperation initiatives.

## Notable For
- **Historical Name Changes:** Its official names directly reflect major historical periods: pre-Russian Empire (Чорук Кемерли), German-speaking settler colony (Катариненфельд/Katharinenfeld), Soviet-era renaming (Люксембург/Luxembourg), and post-Soviet reversion to the Georgian name.
- **Detailed Demographic Record:** Possesses one of the most complete longitudinal population datasets for a Georgian city, with consistent estimates and census figures from 1922 through 2023.
- **Small Geographic Footprint:** With an area of only 4.63 km², it is a compact city.
- **Administrative Primacy:** Functions as the capital of its eponymous municipality, a key local administrative unit.
- **International Recognition:** Has a dedicated entry in the Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire (ID 21065), indicating archaeological or historical significance from that era.
- **Multilingual Documentation:** Has Wikipedia articles in over 40 languages, reflecting notable international interest.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Bolnisi is a city in southern Georgia. Its precise geographic coordinates are latitude 41.449444444444445 and longitude 44.54194444444445. The city covers a total area of 4.63 square kilometres. It operates within the Georgia Time (GET) timezone, which is UTC+04:00. The city's postal code is 1100, and its local dialing code is 358. It is the administrative centre of the Bolnisi Municipality, meaning it is located within and governs that municipal territory.

### Historical Development and Nomenclature
The settlement's inception is recorded as 1818. Its official name has changed multiple times, documented with specific start and end times:
*   **Чорук Кемерли:** Used until 1818.
*   **Катариненфельд (Katharinenfeld):** Official name from 1818 to 1921.
*   **Люксембург (Luxembourg):** Official name from 1921 to 1944.
The current and native name is **ბოლნისი** (Bolnisi). Historical aliases include Katharinenfeld, Bolnisi, and Чёрюк-Гемерли. The city is described by the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947).

### Demographic Evolution
Bolnisi has a well-documented population history with various determination methods (census, estimate):
*   **1922:** 4,591 (estimate)
*   **1926:** 5,658 (estimate)
*   **1939:** 7,137 (estimate)
*   **1959:** 12,420 (census)
*   **1968:** 16,300 (estimate - peak population)
*   **1970:** 11,504 (census)
*   **1979:** 12,442 (census)
*   **1989:** 15,047 (census)
*   **2002:** 9,944 (census)
*   **2014:** 8,967 (census)
*   **2016-2022:** Estimates show a gradual decline from 8,116 (2016) to 8,406 (2023, preferred value).

### Administrative and Civic Structure
Bolnisi is the **capital_of** the Bolnisi Municipality. It has an official municipal website at https://bolnisi.gov.ge/. The city is twinned with Goygol, Azerbaijan, a relationship that began in 2022. It uses the Georgian language as its official language. The city has a designated coat of arms (image: `Bolnisi_COA.svg`) and a municipal flag (image: `Flag_of_Bolnisi_Municipality.svg`).

### Cultural and Infrastructural Links
The city is associated with several categories: it is the subject of `Category:Bolnisi` and has categories for people born (`Q8046739`) and buried (`Q32407320`) there. It has a presence on numerous knowledge and citizen science platforms, including a Pleiades ID (863760), an iNaturalist place ID (30538), and a Quora topic. It is listed in the Library of Congress Authority (no97041677) and the National Library of Israel (987007542979205171).

### Identifiers and External References
Bolnisi is uniquely identified across multiple global databases:
*   **Geonames:** ID 615419
*   **Freebase:** /m/05wptd
*   **VIAF:** 159752727
*   **GNI (GE):** Unique Feature ID -2326343
*   **UN/LOCODE:** GEBNS (with reference to UNECE trade locode list)
*   **Who's On First:** ID 421176957
*   **Yale LUX:** place/12133474-4843-4e59-a02b-2b01b41d14c7
*   **Getty TGN:** 1052998
*   **Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire:** 21065
*   **Wikidata:** Q206855 (with description "city in Georgia")
*   **GADM:** GEO.6.1_1

### Media and Documentation
The city has a Commons category (`Category:Bolnisi`) and multiple associated images on Wikimedia Commons, including a preferred cityscape image (`Bolnisi_01.jpg`) and a detail map (`Bolnisi.OpenStreetMap.png`). Its Wikipedia article (`wikipedia_title: Bolnisi`) exists in 45 languages, including Georgian (ka), English (en), Russian (ru), Azerbaijani (az), and many others, indicating broad international documentation.

## References

1. [Source](http://interfax.az/view/871828)
2. [Georgian Post: საფოსტო ინდექსის მოძებნა. Georgian Post](http://georgianpost.ge/?site-lang=ka&site-path=help%2Fzipcodes%2F&group=3)
3. [Source](http://silknet.com/?module=popup_content&language=ge&product_id=8&type_id=20&attr=city_indexes)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. [Source](http://www.geostat.ge/index.php?action=page&p_id=2152&lang=geo)
6. Georgian Census 2002
7. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
8. [Source](http://pop-stat.mashke.org/georgia-cities.htm)
9. [Source](https://www.geostat.ge/en/modules/categories/41/population)
10. GeoNames
11. OpenStreetMap
12. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/ge.htm)
13. Quora